Some of Hollywood鈥檚 biggest stars are getting ready to descend on the this week, from and Angelina Jolie to Lady Gaga and Brad Pitt.
But while the allure of A-listers on those picturesque docks is a welcome return to form after last year鈥檚 lower-wattage edition the spotlight that matters most will be on their films. Along Venice 鈥 which runs from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7 鈥 is one of the most glamorous launching pads for awards season. The films that do well on the Lido will be dominating the conversation until
In this year鈥檚 lineup, there鈥檚 both big Hollywood fare (鈥淏eetlejuice Beetlejuice鈥 and to 鈥淲olfs鈥) and a vast array of intriguing films from auteurs around the world. At festivals, the best thing is to keep an open mind and 鈥 you never know what might hit. In the meantime, though, here are 10 films to get excited about at Venice.
鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux鈥 (Sept. 4)
No matter which side of the you were on five years ago, the fact that all involved would bring the sequel back to Venice to play in competition is promising. doesn鈥檛 need the festival buzz, after all. The first film made over $1 billion and was nominated Venice chief Alberto Barbera told Deadline that it鈥檚 completely different from the first, a dystopian musical that is 鈥渙ne of the most daring, brave and creative films in recent American cinema鈥 and 鈥渃onfirms Todd Phillips as one of the most creative directors working at the moment.鈥 It鈥檒l be in theaters Oct. 4.
鈥淢aria鈥 (Aug. 29)
is not to be ignored when he makes a film about a famous woman with a tragic narrative (see: 鈥淛ackie鈥). This time he鈥檚 teamed with screenwriter Steven Knight (鈥淧eaky Blinders鈥) and Jolie to bring back to life in 鈥淢aria.鈥 The soprano was a tabloid fixture, perhaps most famous for her affair with Aristotle Onassis, who would end up leaving her for another of Larra铆n鈥檚 tragic women: Callas died in 1977, at age 53, but remains one of classical music鈥檚 bestselling artists. 鈥淢aria鈥 is playing in competition and seeking distribution.
鈥淨ueer鈥 (Sept. 3)
returns to Venice with 鈥淨ueer,鈥 an adaptation of the William S. Burroughs novel, starring in a performance that Barbera has called 鈥渃areer defining.鈥 It follows an American expat to Mexico City on a quest for a drug. There, he encounters all sorts of characters and develops an obsession with a young man. The novel was written in the early 1950s, a sort of companion piece to 鈥淛unkie,鈥 but not published until 1985. Others have attempted to adapt it before, including Steve Buscemi and Oren Moverman. 鈥淨ueer鈥 is also seeking distribution.
鈥淭he Room Next Door鈥 (Sept. 2)
English-language debut, with and starring? We barely even need a description to get excited about that, which is probably good because details are vague. He鈥檚 said that it鈥檚 about an imperfect mother and a resentful daughter who are estranged because of a 鈥減rofound misunderstanding.鈥 In addition to tackling subjects like war, death, friendship and sexual pleasure, Almod贸var said, 鈥渋t also talks about the pleasure of waking up to birds bringing a new day at a house built on a natural reserve in New England.鈥 It鈥檒l also make a stop at the before a December release.
鈥淏abygirl鈥 (Aug. 30)
Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn made the so we鈥檙e especially curious what 鈥淏abygirl鈥 holds. The erotic thriller stars (who 25 years ago came to Venice with 鈥淓yes Wide Shut鈥) as a powerful CEO who begins an affair with a younger intern played by (鈥淭riangle of Sadness,鈥 鈥淭he Iron Claw鈥). also co-stars. A24 plans a December theatrical release.
鈥淭he Brutalist鈥 (Sept. 1)
This 3 1/2-hour drama from filmmaker follows architect L谩szl贸 Toth and his wife Erzs茅bet on a decades-long journey as they flee Europe following World War II and attempt to set up a life in America. There, Toth meets industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren who commissions him to design a modernist monument, changing their lives for better and worse. Corbet (鈥淰ox Lux鈥) is not always going to be a filmmaker for everyone, but he鈥檚 never not interesting. Focus Features, CAA and Universal are distributing, but the movie does not yet have a release date.
鈥淵outh (Homecoming)鈥 (Sept. 6)
There are quite a few innovative offerings in the nonfiction space: 鈥淪eparated,鈥 about the Trump administration鈥檚 border policy; future-looking 鈥2073鈥; 鈥淧avements,鈥 Alex Ross Perry鈥檚 hybrid doc about the and Andres Veiel鈥檚 鈥淩iefenstahl.鈥 But only one made it to the main competition: Wang Bing鈥檚 鈥淵outh (Homecoming),鈥 the conclusion to his in which he followed migrant workers in Zhili, China鈥檚 textile factories across five years. It鈥檚 seeking distribution.
鈥淎pril鈥 (Sept. 5)
sophomore film is about Nina, an OB-GYN working in rural Georgia who also performs abortions, despite the laws of the country. When a newborn dies in her care, an investigation fuels rumors about her morality and professionalism. Three years after snagged the top prize at Venice, the buzz is that this will be one of the breakouts. Kulumbegashvili鈥檚 debut, 鈥淏eginning,鈥 about the bombing of a Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses church, made waves on the festival circuit in 2020. 鈥淎pril,鈥 which is seeking a U.S. distributor, is also set to play at TIFF and the New York Film Festival.
鈥淭he Order鈥 (Aug. 31)
produced and stars in this 1980s-set crime thriller about a white supremacist group who his FBI agent character suspects is tied to a series of crimes in the Pacific Northwest. plays the group鈥檚 charismatic leader in the film, to be released in theaters in December.
鈥淗arvest鈥 (Sept. 3)
鈥淎ttenberg鈥 and returns to the main competition with 鈥淗arvest,鈥 an adaptation of the Jim Crace novel set in a medieval English village where the locals use three newcomers as scapegoats for economic turmoil. It鈥檚 apparently the reason star . Mubi has distribution rights in several European territories, but no dates or U.S. plans have been announced.
BONUS: 鈥淒isclaimer鈥 (Aug. 29)
This is not a film, but this series coming to AppleTV+ on Oct. 11 is from who wrote and directed the seven-episode psychological thriller starring and Blanchett plays a journalist who discovers she鈥檚 a character in a novel that reveals her dark secret.
